We Live Again: 11 Wisdom
by Cosmina Inspira
Summary: Hudson has always been a warrior as much as he is a mentor. As he remembers his old love of the past, he passes on his experience to others and an old friend gives his own brand of wisdom to the old solider about facing the unknown. Especially when the unknown is stalking you.
1. Chapter 1

We Live Again

Episode 11: Wisdom

By Inspiration

eaglewiccan

 **Disclaimer** : The Gargoyles animated series, including the Goliath Chronicles, is the property of the Walt Disney Company and its affiliate Buena Vista Animation, originally created by Greg Weisman. The characters of Graeme, Ariana, Sata, and the mention of the Eldest, the peach sister, Agamemnon, and Brother Edmund are from TGS and are used here with the consent of the TGS staff with the condition of creative acknowledgement. Hudson's mate is a canon in training idea, and the name Deborah is from TGS. No copyright infringement is intended here nor authorized by the copyholders. This author only writes for fun and love of this beloved animated series. All original characters are the property of the author Inspiration.

 **Author's note** : This story begins in the early hours of the same night as 10\. Face Your Fears in mid to late February 2000.

Previously on Gargoyles. . .

"It's time for me to step down, and for you to lead." Hudson of 984.

"Then I will. But only if you stay by my side, I will need your wisdom to guide me." Goliath of 984.

"I thought my warrior days were behind me." Hudson.

"Nonsense, there are _years_ of fighting left for you." Goliath.

"Och, now there's something to look forward to." Hudson.

They share a laugh, and then flew off into the night on their way home to the clock tower.

(Canon) Long Way to Morning.

"You can't read, can you?" Robbins.

"Well, who would teach me?" Hudson.

"I can teach you . . . there's no shame in being illiterate, Hudson, only in staying that way." Robbins.

(Canon) A Lighthouse in the Sea of Time.

"Didn't you tell me once that back in the tenth century, part of your warrior obligations included teaching?" Elisa.

"We taught the younger gargoyles any skills we had." Goliath.

"Well, maybe one way to get Hudson more involved is to make him feel useful. He has lots of skills he can teach." Elisa.

(TGS) To Restore Amends.

"If we can get the gargoyles better recognized by the law, you wouldn't have to hide any more. If your clan wishes to continue protecting, they'd have to go through basic police training and earn their own badges." Maria Chavez to Goliath.

(WLA) Collisions.

"Perhaps, Lad, humans are nae the only creatures who feel fear of the unknown." Hudson to Goliath and Tamora.

(WLA) Trust.

For centuries he has fed and his power has grown, but despite his ever growing strength, he still hungers, and his hunger has yet to be satiated. But more importantly he hungers for vengeance against the one who dared oust him from his sacred homeland and deny him his rightful place to be a god amongst his tribe. The one who dared call him an abomination when he dared call himself a god and Guardian of the People and long protects an unworthy bloodline that he senses has now become further tainted.

Having finally caught the faintest whiff of what he searches for, his journey has finally brought him here. And yet he senses his journey will not have been in vain, this greatly pleases him.

For a barbaric civilization said to be about only the worship of heretic science, ancient magic yet permeates the air.

****Castle Wyvern

 _Och, this be nothing but garbled nonsense. This writer dosnae even use real words_ , Hudson thought to himself as held little Alex in his lap and read him a bedtime story by a queerly named author called Dr. Seuss.

While it was still an enjoyable book for children, and Alex loved the sound of how it flowed with Hudson's thick Scottish brogue, the old soldier himself still found the books by this children's author amusing if a might daft.

Half the time there were not even real words, but some made up rubbish. Yet instead of letting it inhibit him, Hudson took the books of Dr. Seuss as a challenge to improve his reading skills. And a warrior always takes up a challenge.

Before finishing the end of the book, Alex was sound asleep in his arms, so Hudson set the book aside right after reading the last word and tucked the little princeling into bed. He then retired to the clan's private wing for some quiet time to watch any of his favorite late night shows such as Jay Leno or a re-airing of Celebrity Hockey.

As usual, ever loyal Bronx came to settle himself beside Hudson's chair and keep the clan's eldest member company. When not out on patrol with another in the clan, he took his instincts as a beast companion without question. It was what made their particular bond very special.

As Hudson flipped through the channels, finding mostly boring infomercials for useless products, Hudson found his thoughts beginning to wander or muse on the events of recent nights.

Just a few nights before, the clan's only adolescents, Graeme and Ariana, had been badly injured in a harsh battle against a small band of vampires and their new Halfling followers. Though it had been difficult and draining on the whole clan to see them in such a state to nearly lose their lives, it had been particularly distressing for their parents, Brooklyn, the clan second, and his mate Sata, from the Ishimura Clan's Feudal Period. Thanks now to Lexington's efforts and the clan's Chinese exchange healer, Kwan Yin, the younguns were well on their way to recovery in the castle's infirmary and will be back to causing mischief in no time, by most likely tomorrow night.

So much like their father, they are, when he and his brothers were that age.

It will be very fortunate for Graeme and Ariana to live long happy lives now thanks to Lexington and his ever queer interest in human magical devices, and especially this century.

Indeed, the poor lad had suffered his own misgivings in recent nights, one the old soldier himself had bared witness to. Having seemingly gone mad, Lexington claimed to have seen and fought with two of the clan's most formidable enemies, Jackal and Hyena of the upgraded Ultra Pack, when in truth he only fought empty air or left a small blow to his patrol partner. Hudson counted himself extremely fortunate to have only received some scratches from the young male, because though he be small in stature, he well made up for it in speed, ferocity, and tenacity. Though the lass, Yin, found nothing physically wrong with young Lex, she nonetheless offered spiritual guidance from her studies of ancient Chinese human philosophy.

In the coming months, Hudson could very well see good tidings in having the light jade green female as a clan healer for a time, and though she comes from a culturally different clan, he also hopes she will become more.

The lass had also offered similar guidance to an ever brooding Broadway, which was so unlike the lad to continually do from his more cheerful optimistic self. For almost a fortnight now, the young male had gone about the castle with a pitiful look on his face and limp in his step, even his wings appeared listless from long glides on patrols he had taken less to. Almost every night now, Hudson and many in the clan noticed Broadway head straight for the kitchens to make a rather big breakfast for everyone, and as he cooked he took more than his usual share of food and already he now showed twice his girth.

Hudson could only think the young fool ought to get over his stubborn pride and quickly get over whatever trivial problem has pointlessly burdened him because it was most unbefitting a warrior. Surly the boy had been taught better than that?

If Broadway did not get over it soon enough, but allowed himself to become a useless lump, how would he have the stamina to keep up with Angela on their first Breeding Season?

Aye, the boy forgets how fortunate he is to have Angela as his lifemate, Dragon bless her gentle heart. Yet it will take more than her gentleness and patience to bring Broadway out from his pitiful slump.

Speaking of breeding, he has seen Goliath do all that he could to be there for his beloved Elisa, who now carries their first child and therefore the first hatchling to be born to the clan in this new time, and continue to lead the clan. He knows exactly how the poor lad feels, having gone through it time and again with his own lifemate when she became egg heavy and they were clan leaders. While a child carrying female of any species is never easy to deal with, they still needed a strong male to support them and give them comfort.

Though Elisa was still very much herself, she was only beginning to show her first mood swings, complaining often enough about 'desk duty' at her precinct, and from what Hudson could understand it meant mostly sitting at a desk all day and looking at a lot of parchments. It sounded very tedious indeed and Hudson could not blame Elisa for it.

In her mood swings, Elisa had begun to tell of strange food cravings, mostly for more meat products and has been eating a lot of jerky. It will be difficult for Goliath in the coming months, but Hudson will offer his wisdom whist he can, especially as Goliath has to work with the castle's other guest the Chinese Clan ambassador Li Shen.

Though politics is always a challenge, the lavender clan leader had met and surpassed its difficulties and indeed has the makings of a true diplomat that may be essencial for the future of the gargoyles race.

Goliath and Xanatos had been working with Li Shen for over a fortnight now to negotiate with other clans about trading his clan's abundance of guardian beasts with beasts from other clans to create stronger and more diverse bloodlines in order to further breed these rare and magnificent creatures if they too, like their gargoyle caretakers, were to survive into the future for coming generations.

Li Shen himself is indeed a patient and wise elder, though he always keeps a rather peculiar outward neutral appearance which makes it often hard to truly understand what he may be thinking. Though he expressed more open and civilized opinions than those of his clan leader, he always expressed some skepticism about the ways of the human world, but always felt more concern about the benefit and future of his clan, a trait both elders indeed share strongly. In a way Li Shen could be a kindred spirit to Hudson as a fellow clan elder who may yet live long enough to see a new generation of hatchlings.

All this thinking of mateship and coming hatchlings reminded him of his lost love. Though she has now been part of the wind and skies these many long past centuries, there are nights he strongly remembered her image as though only having seen her last night. Her long pale blond mane, her velvety laugh, and a stubbornness and fierceness of the most marvelous warriors that went unmatched in battle. He missed her greatly, and he always carried her in his heart and saw her in new generations of hatchlings. Even now her legacy lives on, and could it be among the original survivors his own had . . .?

But that's ridiculous; he's beginning to think too much like a human. Such thoughts are best left alone.

Though he is set in his ways, he is still useful to the clan as a mentor and teacher, such as how he was strongly encouraged to take up the task of teaching the clones and young children of the Labyrinth to read. At first he had been resentful, but he quickly took to the challenge, and his students always looked forward to his lessons.

Though he be a seasoned warrior, he now looked forward to teaching a new generation the wonders of reading, a human custom he once only considered queer and useless. Now he prided himself on how his skills improved in only a few short years where once he had been ashamed of being unable to read. But his good friend Jeffery Robbins did not judge Hudson for it, and even offered to teach the old gargoyle how to read.

Perhaps he is not so set in his ways as he once was nowadays, for even an old fool like himself has had to learn to adapt. Why, he was the first of the clan to take a name in this new time thanks to the lass Elisa. Verily, that was another queer human custom he has come to appreciate a bit, though it is still queer to him how humans made it such a strong habit to name everything around them, even rocks and nearly every star in the sky.

The rest of the night he spent mostly in quiet comfort, but now he feels the instinctual pull of the dawn and sleep beckons.

As the clan gathered to their respective roosts, he took note of those around him. Goliath above looked happy, but greatly exhausted, Brooklyn and Sata were beaming with joy to have Graeme and Ariana rejoin the clan while they expressed annoyance from doting parents, Broadway seemed as morose as ever while Angela tried to get him to smile by tickling his big belly with her tail, and it gladdened Hudson to see Lexington return in much higher spirits this morning after spending a night out with a friend.

These may indeed be a few good omens, though Hudson was not one to get his hopes up too high.

As the brightness of the Sun finally broke over the East horizon, the clan assumed their positions for the day, Hudson having drawn his sword for a battle ready stance to then give a silent roar as his entire being became petrified in an organic stone shell.


	2. Chapter 2

Thunderous waves crashed against the walls of rock and sediment from the mighty cliffs below as though to continuously siege the mountainside with their unending currents and one day bring the mountainside crumbling down.

But the cliffs of Wyvern were silent, patient sentinels that have stood eternally proud and unwavering against the waves of the fathomless sea below; the unstoppable force ever fighting against the immovable object. Two things that he bemused to himself and his beloved Angel of the Sea as the very embodiments of.

His tan brown hide the strong mountainside, and she the aqua waves below with her grace and ever fearsome spirit.

Together on the wind currents they chased each other in a merry game as they laughed like young hatchlings at play.

Though they would be getting on in years he always ever saw her as the young and strong female he had lost his heart to and thanked the Dragon every night she had chosen him and he had been blessed with her love, despite his ever stubborn pride.

With the grace and delicacy of a sparrow on the wing, she rode the winds as easily as though they were her element, and yet she rode with such strength that is scarcely seen which Brother Edmund had compared to the fury of a Valkerie of legend.

She glided around him teasingly, as though to further entice him to catch her and knowing his pursuit would be futile until she chose to allow him to catch her when she saw fit. Yet the gargoyle who will one day become known as Hudson, named for a river in a far off land not yet dreamed of, he met the frivolous challenge of the gargess named Deborah by kind hearted Brother Edmund.

Just when Hudson thought he was about to win his prize and perhaps try the strange yet fascinating human affectionate gesture called a kiss from Deborah, a blasted arrow shot between them to nearly leave a painful hole in a wing membrane.

Below then the clan gallantly fought off an army of Vikings that had raided nearby villages, and now dared to lay siege to their home and Prince Malcolm's domain.

Together with the grace of eagles and leonine battle roars, the two clan leaders and lifemates landed amid the battlefield to fight off their attacking enemies, side by side as they always have.

Due to their timely arrival the battle began to turn in the clan's favor and the Vikings began a hasty retreat, Hudson cried out with his clan in victory and smiled proudly to his fearless lifemate.

But it quickly disappeared when he sighted the pool of blood gushing from her abdomen. In an eye blink he was by her side holding her close in his arms as she collapsed on her weakening legs and he felt the life slowly leaving her body.

"My Love," she moaned in a low voice as she looked up at him with only love in her deep dark eyes, and he saw no regrets.

"Hold on, my Angel," Hudson sorrowfully pleaded to her, "If ye hang on 'til Sunrise, ye shall be fine. Ye must hang on a little longer, ye mustnae leave me."

"I will . . . always love . . . ye," she struggled to say as she took her last breathes, "Always love . . . ye. You . . . are . . . in my heart. Always."

Hudson then roared his old grief to the new night as he awoke from his stone sleep.

This same dream had haunted the old soldier for a long time when he first lost his love, though it came less and less in later years, it still came when he missed her most.

He still carried his beloved Angel of the Sea in his heart and his memories, and he always will for the rest of his days, yet he still wishes for her companionship.

Ach, but dwelling on the past is not the Gargoyle Way, for as long as the clan lives and he lives his life full, she will never be truly gone.

Enough of this self pitying, it does not befit a warrior.

Tonight, he had more reading lessons to teach, and he hoped more.

After having another hearty breakfast, courtesy of Broadway, Hudson glided his way from the castle to a secret entrance to the Labyrinth known only to both clans and their allies. After making his way through seemingly dank and damp dirty tunnels, the old Scottish gargoyle was greeted at the entrance to the Sanctuary.

"Evenin', Claw," Hudson heartily said, then clasped the silent mutate's forearm in a warrior's grip.

They then made their way through a smaller door of the larger entrance and walked through the large underground shelter where once less fortunate and underprivileged people went about their daily lives, to a section of the Labyrinth that was set aside as classrooms for children from kindergarten level to 8th grade.

Waiting in one of the classrooms were his usual students, the clones of the original members of the Manhattan Clan and the female hybrid, Delilah, along with about 20 young human children who have grown very fond of the elder gargoyle enough to having taken to calling him 'Professor Hudson.' His class had not only grown in number over the last few years, but also proudly by leaps and bounds in their reading skills. Though Delilah was ahead of the class in many ways, she too in a way was still a child more on level of a preadolescent like Graeme and Ariana, rather than a five or six year old child like her brothers and the rest of the class. So Hudson had taken her under his wing, so to speak, so as to better help her brothers with their own lessons and hence became what the Labyrinth humans called Hudson's 'teaching assistant.'

But tonight, after the reading lesson and the human bairns had gone to bed for the night, for the clones . . . no, for the young hatchlings, though they have adult bodies they are indeed 'hatchlings,' for them he had something special planned, what humans called a 'field trip.'

A short time after the end of the Gargoyle World Council meeting and Talon had had a stern talking to Delilah about her running away, Hudson took the Labyrinth Clan leader aside and talked with him about the kids, as he called them, about taking them on an outing and begin teaching them to be proper gargoyles.

At first, Talon could only give a skeptical look as he said, "I was told that a gargoyle's true nature was to protect, and as a former police officer I understand that better than anyone down here, and I've done the best I could at teaching them that."

"Aye, ye have taught them well enough, Talon, lad," Hudson agreed, "But not to insult your leadership or impede your judgment of the clones, but there simply be no elders in your clan to teach 'em right an' proper skills to being gargoyles, and there be more to bein' a gargoyle and protectin' than just guardin' tunnels, Talon, just as there's more to being human than just bein' able to walk in the light of the Sun."

"Yeah, you may be right, Hudson," Talon sighed, "I just worry for them, what if they're not ready?"

In a fatherly gesture, Hudson placed a hand on the panther mutate's shoulder as he said, "Though they have full grown bodies, they still be hatchlings in their minds with still much to learn. At the level of intellect they are now, hatchlings of roughly a five year old human child are taken out of the rookery to be taught about what's within their home protectorate, and its borders. Delilah's appearance at the Council has shown me she is at least ready to learn more about the world above her."

Talon gave a frown as he said, "She still shouldn't've disobeyed me, there were reasons why I didn't want any representatives of my clan there, and she almost proved them right."

"Aye," Hudson soberly agreed, "But ye cannae hide 'em from the world forever, lad, ye know that. We tried, but we knew it wouldnae last forever. If one day they can be part of the world and meet more o' their own kind, for the time being I am best qualified to teach 'em the skills they be needin'. I'll begin by teaching 'em trakin' and huntin', and not just reading marks on a page, though I'm proud of how far they've come. It may sound old fashion, and ye may call me an old fool for thinkin' such things needin' to be taught in a place where there be no large bucks or other big game for huntin' for food, but such skills help hone a young gargoyle's instincts for protectin' and greatly disciplines their more impulsive urges. And from what I've seen, they greatly need it. Even now, just as in the old days of Wyvern, I was the best tracker in me clan, and I am best qualified to teach your charges."

Talon took a little time to think about what Hudson had said, and finally agreed to allow the clones their first outing with Hudson after the elder assured the mutate leader he would look after them well with Delilah's help.

Though the clones had gone topside before, mostly in groups of two and to be given a chance to stretch their wings, a field trip with Hudson might be the best way to teach them a little discipline.

Ever since the Labyrinth was attacked during the Unseelie War, Talon had tried to teach everyone, including the clones, basic self defense, which helped a little bit, and he always had the matronly Meredith to help curb the clones more precocious nature at times.

Tonight the clones were really excited about their first field trip with Hudson and had been looking forward to it for weeks. Talon told them with parental authority to be on their best behavior and listen to the elder gargoyle, and like typical children they agreed with annoyed groans.

So, at 9pm that night, right after the latest reading lesson, Hudson and his clone charges glided for Central Park.

00000000000

Entrance into this towering fortress has proven to be a bit more difficult than he had thought. While the feeble mortals could enter and exit the structure as they must always do in their pathetic and bland lives, for a superior being such as himself it will be a bit more of a challenge.

Though he was aware of mortal science and technology being as powerful as the most moderately powerful magic in the world, mortal technology still proved to have its weaknesses in the presence of the eldritch energies of the Spirit World.

Yet here amid this towering spire that was to symbolize the newest form of science these heinous mortals worshiped in place of their life giving Mother, he could sense a well made balance in the energies coursing through the power systems, and mystic wards surrounding the entire building in a complex yet elegant fashion.

Though he would have been able to enter through the main entrance with subtlety, it would not have been without drainage of his strength, though the mystic wards were clearly meant to keep out not one such as him, but something only slightly more powerful, perhaps like those of the Cloud Fathers.

Clearly he had underestimated this mortal. Well, he will not be so foolish again.

While he sensed his target within, he shall need a way to gain entrance. The wards are strongest at the very top, but he still knows of this simple way to enter, the one even the most foolish would know how to exploit.

He just needs to find one who is most familiar with the castle above, and its inhabitants, and take their place.

Then he will be one step closer to gaining his revenge.


	3. Chapter 3

****Central Park

"I only see grass and trees," said Malibu as he stared in confusion at the beautiful green scenery around him and his clan mates as they looked at Hudson in curiosity and confusion.

"I see bushes, too," Brentwood said.

"Aye, there is much wild brush abouts here, lads and lass," Hudson said with a stern patience as he then pointed to the ground, "But look closely at this part of the ground here, it was verra recently disturbed by a small creature."

"How can Professor Hudson know?" Malibu asked.

"Come a wee closer, lads, and I'll show ye, but be mindful to not further disturb this part o' the ground."

Hudson then pointed out the subtle details of what he saw on the patch of ground, over turned leaves and small twigs that were damper on one side or a darker shade of color, even the level of freshness of scratches and how to tell what made them on tree trunks, even demonstrated how to see the shape of tiny footprints.

"Now, me friends," Hudson said, "What do you think made these prints, how long ago and where did it go?"

"A squirrel?" said Hollywood.

"A rat?" said Malibu.

"A pelican?" said Burbank, making the others look at him funny but he just shrugged.

"Aye, those are all good guesses," Hudson said patiently, "But, nay, none o' those animals made this print. Care to take another guess?"

"A raccoon," Delilah spoke up a moment later in confidence as she took a closer look at the print.

"Aye, lass," Hudson said proudly, "And will you tell us how ye know that?"

"When you told us we were going to take a field trip to teach us tracking in Central Park," Delilah said, "I read about the animals that are most often found in the park. Though raccoons aren't always seen in the big city, animals lived here in the wild and now some of them still live in this park. That is obviously a raccoon print, and they are mostly active at night, nocturnal like us. They are also called masked bandits."

"Very good, lass," Hudson commended, "I see you inherited not only your human mother's looks, but her reasoning skills as well. She'd be proud o' ye, indeed."

Delilah beamed a smile to her mentor while one of her brothers just gave a groan.

"I no see why we learn this," Hollywood complained, "I like learn to read from book better."

Hudson gave the light peach clone a stern look, the same he gave to any impatient hatchling from the old clan, and Hollywood seemed to shrink a little into himself.

"This may appear a waste o' time to ye, Hollywood," Hudson said a bit gruffly, "But in the olden days, all hatchlings learned to hunt and track prey, so as to bring food so the clan could survive."

"I no want to eat raccoon," Hollywood yelled with shock, having in recent times developed a fondness for small animals.

"Nay, nay, lad," Hudson laughed, "though hunting for food was a great importance long ago, there be no large game abouts anymore. To learn to track and hunt also helps to sharpen the senses and teach ye patience and discipline. When ye quiet your mind and allow your senses to guide you, you find yourself and the environment around ye becoming as one."

"Hudson talks like Yoda," Brentwood said with a snicker.

Again Hudson gave that same stern look to Brentwood he just gave to Hollywood, and the dark violet clone returned it with a shamed look.

"Aye, I've seen the movies, young Brentwood, and though I donae completely understand what they be about with the travelin' in space and daft lookin' creatures ne'er seen nor heard of before, what the green creature talks of with his 'force' is nay far off. But this be real life, lad, nay television fantasy, and that's a lesson your sire had to learn the hard way."

Brentwood gave a small understanding nod, as Burbank asked, "Are ye me sire?"

Hudson gave a raised eye ridge at his much younger clone with the lemon yellow coloring and black hair and beard similar to his own.

With a slight smile he said, "Aye, mayhap in a sense, Burbank, but ye must understand that children in me old clan were the children of the whole clan, and hence we're kin as much as your brothers and Delilah are your kin."

This made all of the clones smile with pride that Hudson was willing to admit as much to them, despite living in separate clans.

"Now, my friends, let us return to the lesson."

Hollywood then timidly raised his hand, a polite gesture he had learned in the reading classes that all students had to learn, as he said, "I still no understand why we learn tracking."

Hudson gave a patient smile as he said, "Aside from tracking and hunting for food in the old days, tracking can also be used to find wayward clan members or even missing humans. In the olden days, we tried to track a highway brigand that attacked and robbed innocence humans on the road in Prince Malcolm's realm. Unfortunately, it doesnae always work, and plenty o' bandits would slip through our midst, and one hatchling we once thought dead had grown to be resentful and become an enemy of his own clan."

"So tracking is kind of like being a detective," Delilah said.

"Yes, Delilah. Though the way Elisa and her police kin do it is a wee bit different from what you're learning now, the idea remains the same. If an innocent under your protection goes missin' or an enemy threatenin' your home tries to escape, you'll know how to find 'em when ye see all your surroundings have a story to tell and ye know where to look."

Now the clones expressed more interest in Hudson's tracking lesson as they began asking questions of what to do next and how to do it. He then instructed them for the rest of the night to read the signs around the park and see what they could find.

Every now and then a clone would get excited about something they had found and call out for the others to come see, or get distracted by something else they would find more interesting then what they were originally trying to track.

Though there were only five of them, and they were fully grown, for Hudson they were already proving to be as much of a handful, if not more so, as a full rookery of young eager hatchlings.

With his ever present patience and long experience, he would instruct the clones to remember to remain patient, focused, and always silent for you never knew what may be nearby besides what was being tracked.

Although he did not expect the clones to learn everything about tracking in one night, aside from Delilah, Malibu quickly showed to be the one to most quickly pick up on Hudson's lesson more than the others, and may have potential to become his best tracking student.

Yet, before the lesson could be finished for the night, the quietness was pierced by a scream of fright from Hollywood to then bring the others to where he stood with a hand over his gaping mouth to hold back his scream and pointing with his other hand at what had frightened him so.

Pushing aside thick bushes Hollywood was pointing at, Hudson sighted what must have frightened the poor lad, the carcass of a dead animal.

Delilah gently embraced her rookery brother to turn him away from the macabre scene and tried to tell him everything was okay while Hudson and the others surveyed the scene.

"Yuck!" exclaimed Brentwood, while he reached out to almost touch the carcass until Hudson stopped him.

"What happened?" Malibu asked.

Hudson stepped closer to the carcass, trying to deduce what animal it was, what killed it and when. As he took note of the dead animal, something in the back of his mind struck him as not right with this scene.

The remains were not that of a rodent, such as a rat or a squirrel, nor that of a cat or small stray dog, but most definitely a wild animal. Yet the remains showed no signs of having been ravaged, no fang or claw marks of a natural predator, nor wounds from any form of human weapon he was currently aware of, not even knife cuts. Yet, the animal carcass was completely bare of any fur or skin to indicate what it had been. It had been stripped completely down to the muscle tissue, yet there was no blood, and already a small swarm of flies had gathered about the carcass to feast on the fresh moisture and rot of decay.

"I think this may have been a raccoon," Hudson said a minute later, "Mayhap the same one that left the print we saw earlier. What has killed the poor wee beast, I cannae say, but it hasnae been dead long, most likely within the last hour or so."

"How you know all that, Professor Hudson?" asked Burbank.

"Long story short, as humans would say," Hudson said with a smile, "The many a-year o' experience in trackin' and huntin'."

"What if what killed the poor little animal still here?" Hollywood asked with a low fearful tone.

Perhaps he had a point, Hudson took a quick look around and told Delilah to take the frightened Hollywood home while the rest of them continued with the lesson and leave the carcass for any nearby scavengers, or rather call for late night animal control before the smell of rot became too unbearable for any nearby passersby.

"Why we do more lesson if Hollywood get to go home?" Brentwood groaned.

"Think of it as an investigation, and if we determine what it is and if it be dangerous to innocents or nay."

So Hudson and the remaining clones set to finding any clues of the skinned raccoon's mysterious killer.

At least fifteen minutes later, Malibu followed a strange scent he had sensed from the dead raccoon carcass. Though it disgusted his nostrils to no end, he followed his instincts to see where the smell would lead him and he hoped to show Hudson he had taken tonight's lesson to heart.

He soon followed the scent and tracks in the ground he saw to a set of bushes not too far from where the raccoon carcass had been found. As Malibu slowly approached the bushes, he thought he saw movement and heard faint rustling from within the bushes for a moment.

Not wanting to scare off what may be hiding in the bushes, and remembering Hudson telling of patience and silence, Malibu froze in place walking down on all fours, his wings folded tightly to his back, and staring straight at the bush from which he saw a pair of faintly glowing yellow-green eyes; possibly retinas reflecting distant city lights.

Not sure of what to do next, for a couple of long minutes he just stared off with his unknown opponent while he tried to ignore the aching in his muscles, which were not used to such demand.

Not too long afterwards, Hudson was jogging up to him and calling his name just as Malibu collapsed to the ground with a soft thump from exhausted muscles.

"There, those bushes," he groaned as he pointed to the wild foliage before him.

Hudson and the others froze in place as a rustling sound of a frightened animal emanated from the bushes, and then suddenly out leaped . . . a raccoon, in all of its grey and black furry glory.

Like an angered cat, its fur poofed out to make it appear twice its size and it gave a low irritated hiss as it revealed sharp teeth from its long muzzle, and it glared at them with beady black eyes masked with black highlights.

Hudson gave a low laugh as he said, "Another one. Mayhap this be the mate of the poor slaughtered creature back there. Come, lads, leave it be. Tonight's lesson is done, it's time ye be gettin' home."

So Hudson and his remaining clone charges began to leave for the Labyrinth, just as the live raccoon scampered in the opposite direction and up a nearby tree.

As it watched the gargoyles leave the park, had any of them looked back to watch it more carefully, they may have seen the raccoon's liquid and empty black eyes begin to glow an eerie yellow-green.

****Castle Wyvern, the next night

Hudson sat quietly alone in the castle library, reading the latest editions of various newspapers such as the New York Times or the New York Post. The elder gargoyle smiled to himself as he mused it would not surprise him if Xanatos did not at least have a subscription to every newspaper in town, he would no doubt try to buy them all.

Since Hudson first began learning to read, he had learned of the newspaper business and the famous wealthy families who even greatly influenced the history of New York City, and even of the wider realm called the United States of America that was many times larger and more vast than Scotland and England to the South combined.

Yet, tonight instead of reading up on history, an old interest that had become sparked again in recent times, Hudson read through the newspapers to see if any stories had been written about or even bared mentioning the oddly skinned raccoon carcass he and the clone 'hatchlings' had found last night.

So far, nothing.

What he also skimmed the papers for was any mention of anything highly unusual, dismissing the usual human sightings of his clan of course. What he was looking for was something like a clue or a sign of something a bit more sinister, for though he did not mention it to his students or anyone in his clan, he kept getting the oddest feeling he was being watched. Though his old warrior instincts told him otherwise, part of him began to think he was beginning to become, what did the humans call it, again? Senile. Now there was a discomforting thought of old age for either race, if he thought so himself.

But that's a bothersome thought he would rather not dwell on. For now he has other concerns, though so far there is no mention of anything.

Setting aside the news section for now, he decided to read the comics section of the paper, feeling a good need for a goodly laugh about now even if some of these cartoons are very ridiculous.

A few minutes later, he sensed another enter the library and sit in one of the nearby comfort chairs for their own quiet reading. Looking up for a brief moment, Hudson saw it was Goliath looking a might exhausted, no doubt from worrying for his beloved child heavy Elisa, if not from the first patrol of the night. Hudson then noticed the cover of the book Goliath was about to read, a strange human boy with a cape riding atop a broomstick within flamboyant surroundings.

"Isnae that a children's book?" Hudson asked.

"Yes, old friend," Goliath rumble low, "I'm borrowing it from Graeme and Ariana, and they thoroughly enjoyed it so much they insist the whole clan should read it. Lexington has even told of rumors from the in-ter-net of this book being made into a movie. So I'm going to read it now and, as humans would say, see what all of the 'hoopla' is about."

"Humans and their ridiculous need for frivolous entertainment," Hudson huffed.

"I thought you like that 'need for frivolous entertainment,'" Goliath humorously shot back, making his old mentor give a low booming laugh.

"Aye, lad, touché," he smiled.

"May I ask you a personal question, Hudson?" Goliath then said.

"Of course, Goliath, what's on your mind?"

Goliath remained silent for several moments as he considered how to word his question, until he finally said, "I know you've seen many breeding seasons, my old mentor, but have there ever been other pairings in the clan such as me and Elisa, or even of a child being born from human and gargoyle?"

Hudson took several moments to ponder and answer as he looked at his successor with a bit of a raised brow ridge.

"A pairing such as yours is rare indeed, Goliath," he finally said with a quiet tone, "and any as true and pure as yours is with Elisa is rarer still, as rare as a new star to only glow in the sky with the Sky Clan for a few nights and then disappear for centuries more. O' course now humans say they be nothing but just big icy rocks floatin' around the sky. But aye, still a precious and beautiful sight to behold."

Goliath gave a small smile at this elegant comparison as Hudson continued, "But the closest I can think of was when the castle was first being built, and the first prince had amongst his court a serving wench who always used her feminine wiles to beguile any male she came across, human or gargoyle, and it did not go over well with the females of mated pairs, especially me own when the wench tried her spell on me to seduce me. But she especially intrigued my unmated rookery brother with dark grey coloring and short stubby horns. He became so enthralled with her, he attempted to court her by bringing her wild flowers from the nearby forest, showing off his warrior prowess, bringing her a fresh kill, or even foolhardily trying to read the humans' poetry and sonnets to her.

"I tried to warn my foolish lovesick brother his pursuit of her was futile and would only lead to heartbreak, but being the stubborn hard headed fool he was, he insisted his love was true and he would follow his heart. So as the humans' rumors and gossip spread to become most vicious to the point of persecution, the serving wench finally told me brother she did not love him and strongly insisted he go away and leave her be. He became so desolated by her rejection that a night later he glided far out over the sea before Sunrise and plunged to his doom. My poor foolish brother chose to end his life rather than live with a broken heart. So as I said, lad, what ye have with Elisa is a rare and precious gift indeed, for if there had been others like it, I cannae say."

Goliath gave Hudson a look of sympathy as they took a moment of silence for their long dead clan mate and the great sorrow he had felt in his broken heart, as well as the sorrow the clan must have felt over losing him.

"As for a child, I know even less about. Yet, I vaguely recall the Eldest having told of a legend of a heroic gargoyle from a mysterious far off land, and having defended his home from evil forces many thousands of years ago. Legend even told he was rumored to be the offspring of the first two races. Unfortunately, that be all I can remember, and though I be the eldest in the clan now, the Eldest of the old clan knew more about gargoyle history and storytelling than e'er I shall, and even had the wisdom to pass on her legacy to the Trio's eager peach colored sister. 'Tis a great sorrow indeed she was lost in the Massacre with the rest of the clan."

"Very true, old friend," Goliath quietly said, "Which is why I hope you and Beth work together to make records of the clan's history when you can."

"Aye, she's comin' into her own as a keeper of history and stories," Hudson said with a smile, "But, tell me, lad, why ask such a question now?"

Goliath frowned a bit as he let out a heavy sigh and began to say, "Elisa has been difficult again, lately, mostly from complaining about the change in her position at the precinct. As much as I'm trying to be supportive, it does not seem to be enough for her. However, I do share her worry about having to shelter our child for its entire life for fear of what some humans and gargoyles will think of it, and sometimes when I try to do something nice for her she nearly starts to argue about how I'm 'smothering' her or she will call me a chauvinistic pig and think I think she can't take care of herself, when I know she is the strongest, most capable warrior I know."

Hudson gave a sympathetic shake of his head in amusement as he patiently said, "Having to shelter a hatchling from the world forever is nae e'er a good idea. Ye can only teach them to have the confidence and knowledge they need to survive and hope they make the right choices. As to your spats with Elisa, I may be old and lost me lifemate long ago, but I'm the last person to ask about the desires and needs of females of either race."

"How were you able to tolerate your mate's mood swings, Hudson, while Teacher was still alive?" Goliath asked with a small hint of desperation.

Hudson could only smile smugly as he said, "I did just that, lad, I tolerated it for as long as it lasted. No matter how wrathful a child heavy female may be towards her mate, as long as she knows you're there for her, to comfort her and show you love her, then you see that your little spats were nothing, and ye both act like stubborn hatchlings somethings."

The two gargoyles shared a small laugh, then returned to their selected reading material to enjoy a quiet evening.


	4. Chapter 4

The next night, Hudson found himself partnered with Brooklyn on the first patrol shift of the night, and though it seemed to be a quiet night, save for occasional mugging attempts or attempted grand theft auto, Hudson again could not shake the feeling he was being watched.

As he would glide among the towering buildings of Manhattan, he kept a sharp eye out for any would be stalkers who dared to cowardly sneak upon a seasoned warrior such as himself.

Not long into the patrol, Hudson and Brooklyn found themselves breaking up a potential street brawl between six hoods, three each belonging to a different street gang and starting a fight over who was 'trespassing' on whose 'turf.'

By now most of the hoods were out cold save for a greasy teenage boy who looked panicked at being the only one left to face off again two large gargoyles. Brooklyn called Matt over the clan's comm. System to bring police back up, while Hudson approached the boy with calm caution as he said,

"Give up, boy, donae throw your life away to prove your tough over petty squabbling."

"Stay away from me, ya ol' goat," the boy threatened as he revealed and brandished a pocket knife, "This wasn't yourse bidniss ta stick yer ugly nose into. Ya won' take me like ya took th' others."

Hudson just gave an amused laugh as he said, "That not be a weapon, boy." He then drew his own bade from his belt and held it up in full view for the boy to see.

"This be a weapon, boy," Hudson said smugly, as his would be challenger stared at the ancient Viking blade in wide eyed fear.

The young hoodlum attempted to make a run for it as he dropped his knife, but with unexpected speed Hudson grabbed him by the scruff of his ragged shirt and held him at arm's length as he said,

"Ye know, laddie, ye have spunk, I'll give ye that much."

The street hood just gave a nervous smile and a whimper as Hudson brought him nose to nose to growl low at him, "I hate spunk."

Hudson then punched him hard enough in the face to knock him out cold with the rest of his compatriots, and gently dropped him in a limp heap.

"Matt said ETA for police backup here should be no more than five minutes," Brooklyn said.

Hudson just gave a low huff as he and Brooklyn ascended high enough to glide the rest of their patrol route, his thoughts once more wandered and mused about change, traditions, and what sort of future it held for his clan.

Though the rest of the clan were all in favor of Captain Chavez's idea of becoming deputized and trained by the police department, the idea to Hudson was somewhat absurd, even if it did mean a bit more acceptance into human society. However, for Hudson it seemed more like going backwards which just was not the Gargoyle Way. As the eldest of the clan, it is now his duty to teach and pass on his experienced wisdom and traditions to the younger generations of the clan, not be the naive hatchling student being taught by others. Yet, in a strange and ironic way, was he not continuously learning more and more since awakening and being displaced in this strange yet wondrous new time and world several years ago? But blast it all, he is a gargoyle warrior and he knows how to protect his clan and home, that alone should be enough for Elisa's police kin. Deputized or not, he is too old to 'go back to school', as the humans these days say, so they will have to find another way with old Hudson.

For a short while they glided in silence, Brooklyn taking notice of his elder's gruff look early on as though he were brooding about something.

"What wrong, Hudson?" he asked, "You look bleak."

"Eh? Och, I'm sorry, Brooklyn, when ye mentioned 'police backup' I was reminded o' the daft idea Maria had spoken to Goliath aboot some weeks ago."

"What's wrong with it?" asked Brooklyn, "Everybody else in the clan thinks it's a good idea if it means still being able to protect the city and becoming more accepted into human society."

"Aye, it is," Hudson warily said, "But I'm too old to be going back to being as a student adolescent takin' lessons from an elder teacher, but for me the teacher be not even a tenth of me age. I'm far too old and set in me ways to be doin' such nonsense, though for the rest of ye 'tis fine, but I shall continue to protect as I always have without some piece of fancy metal to tell me I protect or nae."

Brooklyn could only shake his head in amusement as he said, "You sound a little like that time you were when Brother Edmund was with us. How surprised he'd be to see how much you've changed."

"Ye remember kindly Brother Edmund?" Hudson asked a bit surprised.

"A little, and most of it's kind of vague. I know I was just a hatchling then and he was only with us for a little while. He always told the best stories to us and my brothers and sisters, not just from the Bible, but of his time as a soldier, stories he heard on his travels, or even read to us books from Prince Malcolm's library. I thought he'd be with us forever. I also remember a little how he told about trying to offer to teach our elders to read, but almost all of them refused, including the leader and the brown elder who liked to lecture all of the time."

Hudson gave a small laugh at the mention of his barrel chested rookery brother, whom Brother Edmund had named Agamemnon.

"But getting back to what we were really talking about, I thought you'd seize an opportunity like this. Captain Chavez even suggested you could help the tutors and police instructors on what different methods gargoyles can use from what humans use and stuff like that."

"And I say again I be too old for such a thing," Hudson gruffly snapped.

He then said to Brooklyn before shifting his wings on the air currents, "I'm goin' to see Robbins, I'll be home before dawn."

Before Brooklyn could protest, Hudson was already gliding well out of ear shot on his way to Jeffery Robbins home in Long Island. Brooklyn could only think if anything were to happen to Hudson, he was sure he would receive hell from Goliath for it.

At the beachfront home of Jeffery Robbins, author famous for works such as Gilgamesh the King and The Sword and the Staff, Hudson comfortably sat with his good friend in his small home library enjoying a hot cup of tea while Robbins sat quietly petting his German Sheppard, Gilly, by his side.

The bearded gargoyle then placed his cup on the coffee table a little harder then he intended, making the blind human ask, "Is something wrong, Hudson? You've been here a while, but you haven't said three words."

"Nothing's wrong, Robbins," Hudson just growled.

"Hudson."

Hudson sulked for a moment as he said, "What be it to ye, Robbins?"

"I may be blind," Robbins laughed, "But I can still 'see' clearly in my own way, and I can see something is bothering you, old friend."

Hudson gave a deep defeated sigh as he then told Robbins about all the changes coming to the clan lately, and though much of it was still glad tidings, he expressed great reluctance of going through with 'police training.'

Robbins gave a small chuckle as he said, "I see what's going on. You fear your older age will be judged harshly and puts you at a disadvantage, along with a fear of failure."

"I'm a gargoyle, I fear nothing," Hudson growled, then immediately regretted it and apologized to his friends.

"You don't need to apologize," Robbins said sympathetically, "I felt very much the same way when I first lost my sight. Like many soldiers returning from 'Nam at the time, I suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I fell into a depression and often snapped at people who were only trying to help me, even friends and family. I felt useless, like a burden to everyone and less than human because I thought I would never gain a sense of independence or self worth again. Then, after I learned to read brail, I honed my depression into a constructive creative outlet through writing, and feel all the more appreciative now for what I have and that my friends and family are still talking to me, instead of allowing my depression to drive away everyone I care about. My point is, Hudson, that whatever handicap you think is going to hold you back, the only thing really holding you back is what's up here." He tapped at his temple.

Hudson stroked his beard as he said, "Aye, that may be true, but elders o' me clan were always the ones to teach the younger generations to past on their knowledge an' wisdom, nay the other way around."

"True," Robbins said, "But one big difference between knowledge and wisdom is that wisdom tells us knowledge is always changing and we are always learning, and the younger generation has as much to teach to the older ones."

Hudson pondered this as he stroked his beard some more, then said, "Thank ye, Robbins, you've given me much to consider."

Looking at the time, Hudson saw it was not too far to dawn, but he decided he needed a bit of time alone to think.

"I must be goin', Robbins," Hudson said as she stood, "Thank you again for the tea and company. It's good to know there's a friend who can understand an old fool like myself, not since my good friend the blacksmith, Angus, from the old times."

"My door is always open to you," Robbins said, "And next time you come, I'd like to know more about this blacksmith friend of yours."

Hudson said good bye one last time, then made his way to the outside wall that surrounded the author's home, where once Hudson had easily passed for one of the stone Gothic statues placed sparsely about the beachfront property, and steadily took to the air.

The tanned elder briefly thought about what his friend had to say, when a glimpse of small movement seemed to catch his eye and he saw a winged form flitter from the shadows. At first he thought one of the clan must have followed him, as his brow furrowed a bit in irritation as he then heard a familiar sounding female voice say,

"Over here, this way."

He followed the silhouetted female gargoyle as she flew upon the winds with an unmatched ethereal grace, beckoning Hudson with eagerness to follow.

"Angela, lass, if Goliath had sent ye to fetch me, it's not needed. I'm already on my way home, and I've no time for this mischief."

But the female gargoyle did not seem to listen as she continued to flitter about and lead him on a merry chase, always saying in an eerily familiar voice, "Over here. This way. I'm here for you."

Soon, Hudson was lead to a more secluded and isolated part of Long Island, a place that hung onto the remains of its wild past struggling to survive at the edge of human civilization.

Landing amid this wild semi-forested area, Hudson had lost sight of the mysterious female, but could vividly hear her calling to him from the shadows.

"Sata?" He called out in confusion, "Desdemona, is that you?"

"Come closer, this way," the voice again softly called out, Hudson now realizing it was also faintly accented.

Quickly drawing his sword, his eyes illuminated bright white as he growled, "Demona! I warn ye now, if this be another o' your hateful tricks I may forget about your attempts at redemption."

"Have you forgotten about me so completely, My Love?" the voice said with a sorrowful tone, a voice that was like music with the flow of waves from the deepest most mysterious depths of the sea.

The female gargoyle then stepped from the shadows, making Hudson go wide eyed and open mouthed with shock as his eyes lost their glow and he dropped his sword and it landed with a soft thump upon the damp ground.

"It's forgiven, for I have missed you so, My Love," the female said with a smile that made her all the more beautiful.

Before Hudson stood a tall female with the grace and might of the legendary Norse Valkerie, with a coloring like the aqua blue-green of shallow seas on a bright Summer's day on a tropical island, small web shaped ears and three small horns peaked out from long pale white golden hair, and graceful two fingered wings with different shades of green in her membranes held up with strength, and she wore a Medeval leather tunic with a traditional gargoyles loincloth with a form fitting metal breast plate.

"M-my Love. My Angel of the Sea," Hudson choked out, "Is it really you?"

"Aye, My Love," she said as she spread her arms and wings for an embrace, "It has been so very long, and I have missed you so."

"How can this be?" Hudson said in longing as he began to take his first steps towards her, to finally hold her again after so many lonely centuries.

"It matters not, I'm here now," she reassured him as she awaited her mate's embrace.

But he suddenly stopped in his tracks when he noticed something amiss, as though he could finally sense a hidden sinister malevolence. As he stared into her eyes, eyes that once held a strong and gentle spirit, were now nothing more than empty black sockets, as though an empty unreflective darkness now looked through her eyes.

"Nae," he groaned, as he shook his head as though to escape the hold of some hypnotic spell, "You're not her. You're nae her, she's dead!"

"It is me, My Love. Come, let us be one," she said in a voice that sounded exactly as he remembered it, yet something about it was all wrong.

"No!" Hudson roared, "You're _not_ her! She's dead these many centuries to be part of the sea and Sky Clan!"

He quickly picked up his dropped sword and pointed it at his 'mate' with glowing eyes as he growled dangerously,

"You are an impostor, and I'll nae allow ye tae defile her memory! Who really be ye? Reveal yourself!"

His 'mate' gave a low evil laugh as her empty black eye sockets now glowed an unnatural yellow-green color and her body began to flex and contort unnaturally and painfully as her wings and tail sank into her body, muscle tone increased greatly, 'her' face grew to twice its normal size but seemed to shrivel up with too much wrinkles, a snout slightly protruded and the forehead sunk in while the brow ridges became far too thick, and some kind of ugly matted grayish brown fur grew all over the body, while the head also grew small horns that surrounded two larger goat like horns growing from the crown of the creature's head.

"Very perceptive, old warrior," the creature said with a voice like a combination of a rumbling from deep within the earth and centuries of rotten bloodcurdling corpses.

"What manner of beast be ye?" Hudson gasp as he remain on his guard, "Wait, Ye must be one o' them rogue Unseelies, and ye've come to claim revenge against the clan, beginning with me, eh? Well, just because I'm old doesnae mean I havenae got any fight left in me, 'cause I'll give ye a good challenge."

He brandished his sword at the creature as it growled with a laugh, "I would not give you such an insult, old warrior, and know not of this 'Unseelie' you speak of. Though I do seek revenge, it is not to you or your night brothers, but with that accused trickster that dared banish me from my sacred home."

"Then what do ye want of me?" Hudson demanded with a growl.

"Your skin," the brutish creature said with an evil smile as a strange charm around its thick neck; a leathery lace made up of reptilian scales with an ancient predator's fang, began to glow unnaturally as the creature began chanting low in an alien language.

Remembering when Xanatos had said the same thing a few years ago, he said with amusement, "Ye'll have the devil's task gettin' it."

"As you wish, old warrior," the creature growled, as it suddenly leaped at him with unexpected supernatural speed that belied its size and apparent mass.

Hudson did not even have time to react as the creature suddenly changed in a fluidic motion from an ugly shaggy furred brute to a huge bear, its eyes continued to glow that eerie yellow-green light, roaring in Hudson's face that he could smell the shapeshifter's repulsive breath as it tried to squeeze the air from his lungs as he struggled to get free.

Somehow, with his fading strength and a flick of his wrist, Hudson sank a good portion of his blade into the bear's side, making it roar in surprise if not pain, but it was enough to make the bear release Hudson. Hudson took only a moment to catch his breath as he watched with moderate astonishment as he saw the wound he made in the bear's side quickly heal itself as the bear changed into a huge wolf, and angrily growled at Hudson as it showed off fangs that drooled ugly green spittle.

Once again the creature came at Hudson with inhuman speed, this time going for his throat, but despite his age, Hudson saw the attack this time and managed to side step and slash at the wolf creature this time at the side of its head to its shoulder blade, but that wound also healed too quickly.

The enigmatic shapeshifter gave another alien cry of pain, but was undeterred from its determination to claim Hudson's 'skin.' It glared death at Hudson as it took on a more alien form of what looked like a humanoid torso with a head like both a bear and a wolf, long deadly sloth like talons, and the lower body of a snake.

The creature went for another attack at Hudson as the veteran gargoyle slashed and swiped at the creature in self defense, but he waned his strength too quickly, and the creature was able to deflect most of his offenses easily with its over sized claws.

The entire time Hudson battled on with the shapeshifter, he felt a growing sense of fear and dread he had not felt since his early hatchling days, and now it was beginning to take its toll as he began to feel a sense of panic as he tripped over his own tail and fell painfully on his back with a thump.

The shapeshifter was now on top of him, and held down Hudson with supernatural strength. The odd necklace it wore glowed brighter, making Hudson realize it must be some sort of magical talisman.

"After I claim your skin," the creature said in its horrid alien voice, "I shall add the child's power to my own, and I shall finally ascend to claim my rightful place in the Spirit World."

The 'child's' power? This unnatural beast had to mean little Alexander, and if it meant the little bairn harm then Hudson had to be sure this creature got defeated as his gargoyle instinct to protect screamed in defiance through his growing fear.

The old warrior gave a cry of defiance as he again stabbed the shapeshifter in its abdomen, making it shriek in pain as well as surprise. The magic talisman lost its peculiar glow as the creature pushed itself off of Hudson and gripped its abdomen as the deep wound steadily healed itself and the shapeshifter reverted to it humanoid brutish form.

It looked at Hudson with a mix of furious hatred and grudging respect.

"I may have underestimated you, old warrior," it said. "You yet have skill. But enough holding back."

Hudson was certain the creature was beginning to change again as its body undulated and shifted in painful physically impossible ways as it snarled at him, when suddenly a sphere of pale golden light exploded between them. A strange chanting then flowed through the air from an unknown source in an alien language similar to the one the shapeshifter spoke.

Both opponents then sighted an ethereal light nearby in the form of a willowy humanoid figure with flared angel wings.

The shapeshifter sneered at it and began to back away as though in fear of it and its mysterious beautiful chanting.

"This is not over, old warrior," it said as it changed into a jet black crow, "I have waited centuries, I can wait a little longer."

The crow then flew away with a last threatening caw.

Hudson then looked at the brightly glowing figure in confusion as it began to seemingly fade on the wind like currents in the water.

"Who are you?" he asked in awed confusion.

"A friend," echoed a female voice with an essence of mysterious music, and then her light was gone.

Hudson found himself standing alone.


	5. Chapter 5

****Castle Wyvern, a half hour before dawn.

Hudson had returned to the castle as soon as he could and had just finished relaying his experience to the entire clan and Owen Burnett, having demanded to speak with the majordomo the moment he had landed.

"What do ye know o' this creature?' Hudson growled at Owen, who just looked as wooden and stiff as ever, "It said it was banished by a trickster, and you're the only one I know of."

Owen just quirked an eyebrow as he said, "While you may assume the Puck is the trickster in question, there are many tricksters of the Third Race who are nearly as talented as my alter ego. As to the creature you encountered tonight, I may have a clue as to what it is. However, I believe Ms. Maza in this case, or maybe more precisely her sister, may have a better understanding of what it is."

All eyes were suddenly on Elisa as she just looked around nervously.

"Perhaps it was Proteus," rumbled Goliath, "A malevolent shapeshifter from New Olympus."

"I don't think so, Big Guy," Elisa said nervously, "That criminal thrived on violence and chaos, and I think he'd want us to know it was him. This was something completely different, if not more dangerous. I can't be completely sure, and Beth would know more about this than I do, but it sounds like Hudson may have fought a yee naaldlooshii."

"Nawdloo-whatsie now?" said Graeme, "Sounds like a cutsie kid cartoon to me."

"It's better known as a skinwalker," Elisa stated with a dead serious tone, "And there's nothing cutsie about it."

Graeme just gave a wide eyed look as he whispered, "Creepy."

"I don't understand," Angela said, "What's a 'skinwalker'?"

Elisa gave a nervous sigh as she said, "I don't remember much, but when I was a kid, my Grandpa Carlos told us kids stories about all kinds of things, not just about Coyote and the Coyote Clan, but about types of people and creatures to beware of. He often told that a skinwalker was someone who did forbidden magic and used the skin of an animal to take on its form and traits, most often a wolf."

"Isn't that another kind of werewolf?" asked Angela.

"Not entirely," Elisa said, "It can be the skin of any kind of animal, and even a person on occasion."

"I tell ye, this creature did become a wolf, but it became other creatures as well, even me own long dead mate. How can that be?"

"I don't know, I'd have to ask Beth about it, but it won't be easy. There're reasons why skinwalkers aren't talked about, especially to those outside the Navajo Nation. Even the mention of the name is taboo because it inspires so much fear."

"Ach, not the naming nonsense again," Hudson groaned.

"If I may interject," Owen said, all eyes then turned to him, "Though naming hasn't always been a gargoyle custom, what the Third Race understands, and to a limited degree humans as well, is that naming things can hold power, especially when you know something or someone's true Name, with a capital N. Though naming things may only seem to make things easier for humans to distinguish between, to know the True Name of something gives the user power over said object or person, especially in cases of magic."

"What's your point?" Hudson grumbled.

"The point is," Owen continued woodenly, "is that Naming often has powerful associations, images and emotions that become strongly tied to it. The more a Name is associated with its images and feelings it emotes, the stronger they become in the long run. It's among the most primal and ancient form of sympathy magic, and among the most powerful. It still runs strongly and deeply in mortals today, even if they are unaware of it."

"What's this got to do with this 'skinwalker'?" Hudson asked with irritation.

Owen again quirked an eyebrow as he said, "As I said, in cases of magic, if you know the True Name of something or someone, you can have power over it. If someone knows this creature's True Name or if there is a way to discover it, it is but one way I can think of to being able to defeat such a creature."

"Does that mean because we know you're Puck we all have power over you now?" Lexington asked with a slight cocky smile.

Something of a twinkle in Owen's eyes and a small knowing smile leaked thought the majordomo's usually stiff demeanor as he said, "Though you are all aware of my duel identities, those of the Third Race are wise enough to never truly freely reveal our True Names to mortals, unless they have earned it or are clever enough to find them."

"If all of this about naming is true, and what I've learned about magic from my mother is any indication," Angela said, "it may be why gargoyles never took names before. I've never thought about it like that before."

"Perhaps, Angela," Owen said, "or it may also be because the ancient gargoyle language made naming far too complex."

The entire clan gave him confused looks, but he remained a wooden enigma.

"What is to be done about this skinwalker?" Goliath rumbled, "If it's a new threat to the city, we will need to find it and destroy it before it kills someone."

"Yeah, what's to be done about Mr. Creepy?" Graeme spoke up.

"Let's call it the Creeper, I like that better," Ariana said.

"Good idea, kiddo," Elisa agreed, "That way we still know what we're talking about, but we don't add to its real name's fear factor. As to what we'll do about it, I don't know. I'll get in touch with Beth today and see what she knows and if any of it can help."

"Perhaps this matter can wait for a more opportune time," Goliath said, "Dawn approaches."

The entire clan made their way to their personal cornices for the day's rest, however Hudson noticed the elderly Li Shen standing in an out of the way corner near where the clan was just talking.

"My apologies for the intrusion of what was clearly a private clan discussion, but I am concerned by what I have overheared," Li She said.

"And I apologize of nae including ye and Yin, it all just happened so fast, but as our guests ye and Yin have a right to know. Unfortunately, it be too close to dawn to explain ev'rything, except that despite this new threat don't let it interfere with forming a possible alliance between our clans, for we can be stronger when we stand together, and your help will be most welcome."

Li Shen stroked his feeler as he contemplaited Hudson's words, then said, "You are indeed the wisest of this clan, Elder, and I greatly respect that. Though my years become fewer, I am becoming more aware of how much is unknown even to me. Isolation for my clan becomes less and less of an option, for we will be greatly underprepared for outside, and greater still, unknown forces."

"Aye, to us both," Hudson agree.

"We must speak more of our roles while outside of negotiating for alliances, for clearly we may share much in common when trading our experienced wisdom." And the two elders parted with respectable nods to each other.

Moments before the Sun rose, Hudson said to himself, "Despite all my long years and experiences, it seems I still have much to learn. Robbins was right, ye never stop learnin'."

As the gargoyles took their positions for the day, Elisa went to catch up on some much needed rest before making a call to her younger sister in Arizona.

Though Owen did not show it, he had become gravely worried about the conversation about this new 'Creeper.'

Early that morning he set to making a few personal phone calls to one Mrs. Anastasia Reynard.

End of episode 11.


End file.
